Kathryn Bigelow

Born in San Carlos, California

1973

Move to New York City to participate in the Whitney Museum’s independent study program

1973

Conversation with Andy Warhol

"Andy was saying that film is way more populist than art—that art’s very elitist, so you exclude a large audience. A Male­vich or a Mondrian requires that you come to it with a certain amount of information, a context and you don’t necessarily need that with film. A movie is accessible, available. That was exciting to me from a political standpoint."

1978

(The Set Up)

This short film was 20-minute exploration/deconstruction of violence in film. Two actors fought on screen while their actions were deconstructed by semioticians through a voice over.

1982

(The Loveless)

This film was centered around a motorcycle gang’s visit to a small Southern town and its violent effects.

1983

Began teaching at the California Institute of the Arts

After receiving several scripts that were of no interest to her, she gave teaching a try.

1983

(Born in Flames) - Bigelow's Breakout Role

Born in Flames was her first on screen appearance. It was a documentary-style feminist science fiction film by Lizzie Borden set in an alternate United States socialist democracy. The film explored racism, classism, sexism and heterosexism. Bigelow played the role of a feminist newspaper editor.

1987

(Near Dark)

A vampire film that was celebrated as a cult classic.

1989

Marriage to James Cameron

They divorced in 1991. Her and Cameron worked on many projects together before, during, and after their marriage.

1989

(Blue Steel)

Bigelow cowrote and directed this film as a woman's action film. The film starred Jamie Lee Curtis and she needed way more than Activia to fix this situation.

1991

(Point Break)

The film was her most profitable. This film starred Keanu Reeves and solidified her place in the traditionally male-dominated genre of action films.

1995

First Female to win a Saturn Award for Best Director (Strange Days)

(K-19: The Widowmaker)

An action film starring Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson. The film was based on the true story of a Soviet nuclear submarine that suffers a radiation leak. The movie received mixed reviews and failed to find an audience. Some thought it was the low point in her career.

2008

(Hurt Locker)

2010

Barbra Streisand declares: 'It's about time.'

Academy Award for Best Director and Best Picture, BAFTA Award for Best Direction and Best Picture, Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing, American Film Institute Top 10 Films of 2009

2010

Time 100 list of most influential people of the year

2012

(Zero Dark Thirty)

Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, Golden Globe for Best Director and Best Picture, BAFTA Award for Best Direction and Best Picture

2017

(Detroit)

Based on the city's 1967 riots. Some controversy.

Period: 1970 to 1972

Student of painting, graduating with a BFA from San Francisco Art Institute